New experiences along the waterfront, hotel upgrades, new dining and retail businesses, WorldPride offerings and unique indoor activities are all a part of new happenings this year in Alexandria.
Here's a look at some of the new and exciting events and businesses to look forward to in 2025 in Alexandria, courtesy of Visit Alexandria!
· Happenings: In April, runners will take on the inaugural PNC Alexandria Half Sunday, April 27 with a scenic route tracing the Potomac River. Then, in May and June, attendees of D.C.-based WorldPride 2025 can continue the celebration at local Pride events in Alexandria and take advantage of special hotel packages with select profits benefitting Alexandria LGBTQ+ organizations.
· New at the Waterfront: The highly anticipated market, tavern and event venue Cooper Mill will hold a grand opening in February. Then, coming this spring, Break Water by D.C.-based artist Nekeisha Durrett will be unveiled as the seventh annual temporary public art installation at Waterfront Park. Durrett’s piece honors the resilience and strength of Black communities, referencing both protection and endurance during crises. It will be on view from late March to November.
At the intersection of the waterfront and Old Town’s commercial corridor, an expansion of the popular pedestrian zone on the 0 and 100 blocks of King Street will be tested out this spring and summer. Phase 2 of the pilot pedestrianization of the 200 block of King Street will commence on March 14 and run through Sept. 30.
· Hotel Upgrades: Early this year, guests can expect to find an updated lobby, living room and event spaces inside Archer Hotel Old Town Alexandria. Then in the spring, the hotel will welcome independent daytime eatery HomeGrown.
· Dining Trends: Alexandria welcomes an influx of new cafés and spots to sip this year including Madame Coco’s sister libation lounge, The Parlour, along with Mudhouse Coffee, Greenheart Juice Shop, Sharbat Bakery and Café on Upper King Street and a second location of Café du Soleil, on Jefferson Street.
These join various recent Old Town openings including the January 2025 opening of Mediterranean restaurant and wine bar Valletta Port on N. St. Asaph Street plus the new location of Thanida Thai Restaurant and Bar, serving traditional Thai dishes plus street food on N. Fayette Street since November 2024. Ben’YaYs has been whipping up fresh Louisiana-style beignets since May 2024 on King Street, and in April 2024, both Mystic BBQ & Grill on N. Lee Street, featuring Southern-inspired dishes, and Frankie’s Kitchen & Cocktail Bar on S. Washington Street, offering wood-fired pizza and craft cocktails, opened to the public.
· Retail Openings: Del Ray’s retail offerings will grow later this year with the opening of the Del Ray Farmhouse Market & Garden. In case you missed
it, menswear store Old House Provisions opened in Old Town last month and offers in-house custom-made shoes.
Find good reads for children and teens at Old Town Books Junior on S. Royal Street or home décor and original paintings at Eries Interiors on S. St. Asaph Street, both of which opened in October 2024.
· Indoor Fun: Later this year, Continues, a retro gaming and entertainment space, will open in Alexandria along with Sky Zone, a trampoline and active entertainment park.Open since last fall, indoor baseball and softball training facility The Dugout offers team-building events and batting cage rentals for athletes of all ages.